§ 54. Mr. ARTHUR LAWasked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to prevent persons suffering hardship through loss of benefit in those cases where the Minister or approved society fails to secure payment of the contributions from defaulting employers; and will he consider the question of stamping these cards from the unclaimed stamps sales account funds?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe moneys in the Unclaimed Stamps Sales Account are required to meet the cost of excusing the arrears of insured persons who are genuinely unemployed, and they are not more than sufficient for this purpose. There would be, in any case, in my judgment, serious objections to using any part of these moneys to cover up the default of employers who have failed to comply with their statutory obligations to pay contributions.
§ Sir K. WOODDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember that he was constantly complaining of this position?
§ 56. Mr. WHITEasked the Minister of Health if there are any statistics available to show the incidence of claims for sickness and disablement benefits by areas?
§ Mr. GREENWOODAs approved societies are not ordinarily organised on a territorial basis, no general statistics are available showing the incidence of claims for sickness and disablement benefits by areas. There is, however, some interesting information bearing on the point in pages 34 and 35 of the Report of the Government Actuary on the Second Valuation of Approved Societies, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.